A Reason to Continue On
by Kesera
Summary: TwinsXRatchet pairing. The twins give Ratchet a reason to continue on without them.
1. Chapter 1

Warning: Angst, character death. Have a box of tissues handy. Partially inspired by ryagelle's Ratchet X Twins stories.

Thank you Phoenix13 for permission to use the energy flare concept and Lament of Meow for beta reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. They are the property of Hasbro. I'm only borrowing them.

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A Reason to Continue On

Ratchet screamed at the utter agony that came ripping down the bond before it was abruptly cut off. "Sunstreaker….Sideswipe," he managed to gasp out to the assembled Autobots around him in the rec room. Immediately several bots tried to establish communication with one or both of the twins to find out where they were and what had happened. Prowl and Wheeljack came to stand at Ratchet's side, questions in their optics. Ratchet shook his head. "I don't know. They've blocked me out, but it's bad." Ratchet's voice was unsteady as he recovered from the wave of agony that had enveloped him. Desperately he tried to establish some kind of link though the bond. Finally, after several long minutes, Sideswipe answered him, _:Riverfront:_ was the single word answer before the bond was closed off again. Ratchet relayed the information to Prowl and a convoy of Autobots raced out into the rain streaked night.

The abrupt reopening of the bond made him fishtail on the wet road as Ratchet was surrounded by the complete love the twins had for him, but he could feel that Sunstreaker was weak and fading fast. _:Sunstreaker, tell me what's wrong? Where are you hit?: _Ratchet asked over the bond.

Sunstreaker told him. All he could feel at first was numb disbelief, then despair started to creep into his processor. Again he felt the love of the twins envelope him, trying to shield him from the inevitable pain. Sunstreaker was dying, both twins knew it, and there was nothing that could be done to prevent it.

Ratchet skidded off the rain slick road and transformed, falling to his knees as the knowledge that both of his bonded were going to be taken from him hit him like a guardian robot. Sunstreaker would die soon, and Sideswipe, his other half would follow. It was the nature of Cybertronian twins.

He felt the twins confer without him somehow and then a blinding flash of pure bliss flowed into Ratchet down the bond and he was engulfed in all that the twins were. Waves of blue energy crackled over his frame and love like he had never felt before overwhelmed him, then slowly subsided. A mental caress from Sunstreaker and a final farewell from both twins followed.

A terrible scream left Ratchet's vocal processor as he felt both halves of the bond fall silent. He barely registered Wheeljack's arms enfolding him in an embrace. Silently, his longtime friends and fellow Autobots surrounded him as he sobbed the names of his lovers, hopeful that he too would not follow them into the Matrix, for that is often what happened when one part of a bonded pair died. But that would not happen this time. The twin's parting gift had given Ratchet a reason to continue on as had been their final wish.

Ratchet drew his attention toward his own spark and the small miracle that resided in his chest. He didn't know how Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had done it, didn't know how it was even possible, but the warm presence of the sparkling next to his own spark was a comfort and would continue to be so in the vorns to come.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. They are the property of Hasbro. I'm only borrowing them. I do own Sunfire.

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A Reason to Continue On

Chapter 2

They found the brothers in a park near the Riverfront area. The signs of the battle were all around them in the form of shattered trees and churned up earth. Luckily, they had kept the fight away from populated areas.

The twins lay together near the water's edge, Sunstreaker wrapped in his brothers arms. Sideswipe's injuries had been relatively minor, but Sunstreaker's normally pristine chest armor was scared by a large hole. The breach had compromised both his spark chamber and his main energon pump. It had only been a matter of time before he bled out. Which Decepticon had been responsible for the fatal blow was not determined.

XX--XX

"I want to see them," Ratchet requested as First Aid examined his open chest. The new sparkling, a femme, was just fine. It would take a couple of orns for First Aid and Wheeljack to build a spark casing and protoform for her. Meanwhile, she could stay where she was with Ratchet. First Aid felt that Ratchet needed her right now just as much as the sparkling needed her creator.

"Ratchet, you need to rest," First Aid tried to keep his mentor on the exam table as he tried to sit up.

"Aid, I…I need to see them," pleaded Ratchet. First Aid acquiesced and helped the medic off the table and walked him over to the door to the private ward where the bodies of the brothers had been laid. Ratchet looked up at his protégé, "Alone." First Aid looked at him searchingly, then nodded and stepped back, allowing Ratchet to enter the dimly lit room alone.

Ratchet stood still for a moment as the doors closed behind him, then slowly walked over to the side-by-side berths holding the tarp covered remains of his bonded. With a shaking hand he pulled back the coverings to reveal their faces.

Overwhelming grief griped his spark and his knees gave out and he collapsed forward half laying on the berth holding the twins, his head between theirs. He wished he could cry like humans did to express his tearing sorrow, but his form was never designed for such a function. The three of them had known the possibility of this day coming, but the reality of it was entirely different from the theory.

Ratchet suddenly felt the rapid and pained fluttering of the sparkling in his chest reacting to his grief and instinctively soothed her. Placing a hand on his chest plates he stood back up and looked at his bonded again. Both of their faces bore contented smiles. They had been together when they died and had known what they had given him. His hands traced the curves of their mouths. Yes, he would miss them for the rest of his long life, but he could not regret the time he had had with them nor the precious gift they had given him. He would look after their daughter and raise her to know what her other two creators had really been like. The twin warriors had been brutal and savage, but he had seen the other side of their personalities, the one they didn't show to most others. Everyone knew of Sideswipe's prankster tendencies and his sense of fun, but he had also been extremely caring and gentle. Sunstreaker's ego had made him vain, but beneath the waxed to perfection exterior he had been insecure. He had also been fiercely protective of anyone he cared for and his artistic talent had been truly brilliant. Sunfire, his mind prompted him. He would name the sparkling femme Sunfire, and he would honor the twins' final wish and continue on.

Trailing a hand over a cheek on each brother he addressed them, "I will stay as you asked and raise our daughter. Then, one day, we will be together again my twins….Until all are one." He gave each a final caress with a small, sad smile on his own face, then turned to leave the room and seek his berth. He needed his rest after all, he had a sparkling to raise.


End file.
